Janos Koenig

Managing Director, Eurofin Group, UK

Janos Koenig

MA (Econ), University of Sussex. Has gained extensive experience, since 1975, in providing financing to various global sectors, including shipping, oil trading, corporate and project funding, international syndications, loan restructuring and vessel management.

In 1987 he joined Eurofin as a partner, from BAII plc, a London - based merchant bank where he was Director responsible for International Finance. Prior to that he worked for Bank of America in Greece, London and Egypt. Janos has the ability to constructively analyse investment proposals in various industries.

Within shipping and Eurofin, he has worked on multiple financing structures for a variety of clients in different parts of the world and has been involved in some major restructures on behalf of banks. Worked in various different countries where he gained direct experience in putting together projects under a variety of conditions and circumstances.

Speakers

Congress ChairmanSpyros M. PolemisSpyros M. Polemis was born in Greece and educated in Athens, London and the United States of America, where he obtained a Degree in Mechanical Engineering, majoring in Naval Architecture. After college, he did his National Service with the Greek Coast Guard as an Officer/Ships' Inspector. Thereafter, he worked for the family business until 1970, and then he formed his own Company.

Congress CoordinatorMichael SkapinkerMichael Skapinker is an assistant editor of the Financial Times, a columnist and the editor of the FT's special reports. He was a consultant on the BBC series The Secrets of Leadership, which was broadcast in 2003, and has addressed audiences on business topics in the US, Japan and Europe. In 2003, he received the Work Foundation Members' Award for his contribution to the understanding of working life. He was named Columnist of the Year in the 2008 WorkWorld Media Awards.

Congress CoordinatorRobert WrightRobert Wright has been shipping and logistics correspondent of the Financial Times, focusing on all forms of freight transport, since October 2011. He has focused heavily during that period on the slump in all three main shipping markets – as well as the revival of LNG. Before that, he was the FT's transport correspondent for eight years, considerably expanding the paper's coverage of shipping issues, focusing particularly heavily on container shipping and port issues, as well as other forms of transport.

Supachai PanitchpakdiDr. Supachai Panitchpakdi, whose first four - year term as Secretary-General of UNCTAD began on 1 September 2005, was appointed to a second term by the General Assembly in July 2009. His second term will run from 1 September 2009 to 31 August 2013. He previously served as Director - General of the World Trade Organization and as Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce.

Michalis ChrisochoidisMichalis Chrisochoidis is the current Minister for Development, Competitiveness and Shipping of Greece and member of the Hellenic Parliament for the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK). During his time at the Ministry of Public Order, two major Greek urban guerrilla or terrorist groups are believed to have been dismantled, Revolutionary Organization 17 November in 2002 and Revolutionary Struggle in 2010. He has also been a member of the secretariat of the European Socialist Party since 1995.

Nikolaos LitinasDr Nicolaos Litinas received, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a Doctor of Science degree (1980), and two Master of Science degrees. His doctoral dissertation titled "Simplified Methods for Transportation Policy Analysis: a Continuous Modeling Approach" was awarded a prize by the Operation Research Society of America and by the Regional Science Association (RSA). He is currently Secretary General for Shipping of the Ministry of Development, Competitiveness and Shipping.

Thanos PallisDr. Thanos Pallis is the Secretary General of Port and Port Policy, Ministry of Development, Competitiveness and Shipping in Greece, and holder of the Jean Monnet Chair in European Port Policy at the Department of Shipping, Trade and Transport, of the University of the Aegean, Greece.

Yiorgos AnomeritisYiorgos Anomeritis is the Chairman & Managing Director of Piraeus Port Authority S.A. He has an extensive activity as a member of the Hellenic Parliament elected since 1993 for 14 years with the PASOK party and he has a very good knowledge of the structures and activities of the European Union as he has served as President of the Council of Ministers (Transport and shipping) at 2003.

Stavros HatzakosStavros Hatzakos, is economist and he is working in Piraeus Port Authority SA since 1983. Now is General Manager of Piraeus Port Authority SA. From 2010 until 2011, Mr. Hatzakos was Director of the Administration Directorate of PPA SA, which includes the departments of: Strategic planning, Marketing, Environmental policy, Public and International relations, Investors relations and Corporate announcements dpt. and Board of Directors secretariat.

George KastellanosHis long standing experience in Maritime Affairs spreads across most sectors of the Maritime and Ports industry. He has held key positions in Shipping Companies dealing with Ships and Ports Operations, Dry Cargo Chartering and in Worldwide Bunkers and lubricants trading. He is member of the Economic Chamber of Greece, member of Hellenic Association of Maritime Economists and representative in ESPO.

Paolo D' AmicoSince 1994 he has been a member of the Board of Directors of "d' Amico Società di Navigazione SpA" which he has been serving as President since 2002. He was also a member of the Board of Directors of "Italia di Navigazione SpA", a company acquired by d' Amico group in 1998, from FINMARE. He is actually covering several managerial positions in other companies.

Michael BodouroglouMichael Bodouroglou, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Paragon Shipping, has been involved in the shipping industry in various capacities for more than 25 years. He has served as Paragon Shipping's chairman and chief executive officer since the Company was founded in June 2006. He is also the founder and chief executive officer of Βox-Ships and he has served as Box-Ships chairman and chief executive officer since the Company was founded in May 2010.

George CambanisGeorge is a founding partner of the Deloitte firm in Greece and is the deputy chairman of the firm's board of directors. He is a South African Chartered Account and Greek Certified Public Accountant with over 30 year’s public accounting experience. George leads Deloitte's Shipping & Ports industry group.

Peter CookPeter Cook is Founder and Director of the Security Association for the Maritime Industry (SAMI), which acts as the maritime security industry's independent regulatory body. SAMI has become the voice of the industry, at a crucial time for the sector.

John N. CotziasJohn N. Cotzias was born in 1965. He graduated from Athens College High School in 1984, and graduated in 1988 with a BSc in Economics from Buckingham University (UK). He then acquired his MSc in Shipping Trade and Finance at the City University Cass Business School (UK), graduating in 1990. Upon completing his university studies he went to serve the Hellenic Navy Special Forces as an officer in the Command Center from 1990 - 1992.

Joseph J. CoxMr. Cox has a Master's degree in Safety Management from the University of Southern California and was an adjunct professor at Northern Virginia Community College for ten years. Among his professional duties, he has attended over seventy meetings of the International Maritime Organization on the U. S. delegation. He is the U.S. shipowner representative to the International Labor Organization in Geneva and has been elected by his international colleagues as their spokesman at five diplomatic conferences.

John DragnisDuring the last six years since the Company's IPO, John has spent considerable amount of his time developing the business and identifying opportunities for fleet expansion through the acquisition of new building and second-hand vessels. Major competences include the maintenance of existing relationships and the establishment of new ones with major global Charterers. He led the new-building program of Goldenport by expanding the ship-yards portfolio, especially in the Far East. His role was pivotal in the strengthening of the Goldenport brand.

Thomas FranckThomas Franck acts as the CEO of Bore Ltd, a Family owned Shipping Company in Finland. Thomas Franck acts also as the Chairman of the Board of the Finnish Shipowners Association and is a Board member of the European Community Shipowner's Association (ECSA).

Thor Jørgen GuttormsenThor Jørgen Guttormsen (62) is President of Norwegian Shipowners' Association, and has been a member of the Board since 2002. He has been President of Leigh Höegh & Co from 1992 to 2008. From 2004 to 2008 he also the additional position as CEO of Höegh Autoliners. Thor Jørgen is now a member of the Board of ESCA, the European Community Shipowners' Association.

Janos KoenigMA (Econ), University of Sussex. Has gained extensive experience, since 1975, in providing financing to various global sectors, including shipping, oil trading, corporate and project funding, international syndications, loan restructuring and vessel management. In 1987 he joined Eurofin as a partner, from BAII plc, a London - based merchant bank where he was Director responsible for International Finance.

John C. LyrasJohn C. Lyras is the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee and Member of the Board, Union of Greek Shipowners (UGS), Member of the Board of Directors, European Community Shipowners' Associations (ECSA). Mr. John C. Lyras is a principal of Paralos Maritime Corporation S.A., and has been involved in shipping since 1975. He comes from a Greek seafaring family with a tradition in shipping that goes back four generations.

Carsten MortensenCarsten Mortensen joined Dampskibsselskabet "NORDEN" A/S in 1997 as Vice President and responsible for the company's Bulker activities. Since 1999 Senior Vice President, and from 1 June 2004 Chief Operating Officer and member of the Board of Management. On 12 January 2005, Carsten Mortensen was appointed President and CEO. Carsten Mortensen is Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Danish Shipowners' Association.

Tineke NetelenbosTineke Netelenbos is the Chairman of the Royal Association of Netherlands Shipowners since June 2008. She is also currently President of the Ministry of Transport Industries Supervisory Board (RDW), President of the IT platform, President of ProSea, Member of the Confederation of Netherlands Industries and Employers (VNO/NCW), Member of the National Ports Council (NHR), Member of the Advisory board MARIN and President of the Labour Market Sea Shipping Taskforce.

Michael ParkerMichael Parker is the current President of the UK Chamber of Shipping. CMA CGM is the third largest container operator globally and is headquartered in France. He is a member of the General Committee of Lloyd’s Register and the London Committee of Class NK.

Ted PetropoulosMr. Theodore (Ted) Petropoulos is Petrofin's founder and head of Petrofin Research. Mr. Petropoulos, B.Sc. Economics Honours Degree from the London School of Economics, Master in Business Administration Degree from the Manchester Business School, is an ex International Banker and has been a financial advisor since 1986, with particular emphasis on shipping, project finance and banking advice.

Evangelos PistiolisIn 1999, he established Ocean Holdings Inc. Under his leadership Ocean Holdings acquired and operated a fleet of 7 Tankers consisting of 5 MR product tankers and 2 Suezmax tankers. In July 2004, he spearheaded the IPO of Ocean Holdings under the name "Top Tankers Inc." signalling the start of the shipping stocks IPO frenzy. In 2011, he founded "Central Shipping Monaco SAM", a family controlled shipping entity based in Monte Carlo, Monaco dealing mainly with the management and operation of vessels.

Harris VafiasHarry Vafias founded Stealth Maritime Corp in 1999. Stealth Maritime Corp has invested approx $1.2 billion between 2006 - 2009 for the renewal of the tanker fleet and today operates twenty two 50,000 – 120,000 dwt modern double hull tankers all under long term charters with oil companies and traders.